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Aru continues comeback at Tour de Suisse

published 12 June 2019

UAE Team Emirates leader riders first stage race following iliac artery surgery

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Fabio Aru racing Gran Premio Citta di Lugano (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates) will line out at the Tour de Suisse as he continues his comeback to competitive action following the iliac artery surgery that forced him to miss the Giro d’Italia.

Fabio Aru to miss Giro d'Italia due to iliac artery operation

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GP Lugano first race for Aru since sugery

The Sardinian made his return to the peloton at the Gran Premio Città di Lugano on Sunday, finishing 22nd in a race won by teammate Diego Ulissi. It was Aru’s first race since he abandoned Paris-Nice in March. He was diagnosed with a constriction of the iliac artery in his left leg shortly afterwards and underwent surgery on April 1.

Aru was initially slated to line out at next week’s Tour of Slovenia but after a promising outing in Lugano he will instead take on the nine-day Tour de Suisse as he looks to rebuild his condition. At one point in Sunday’s race, Aru was on the offensive with UAE Team Emirates teammate Tadej Pogacar and Esteban Chaves (Mitchelton-Scott).

“Yes, I’m happy with the answers I had in the race,” Aru told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Now I’m facing into a nine-day race where I’ll try to grow day after day. I won’t have any pressure, just the aim of finding my best sensations.”

Aru is not expected to be a part of UAE Team Emirates’ Tour de France plans. After the Gran Premio Città di Lugano, he intimated that he would instead ride the Italian national championships at the end of June and then the Tour de Pologne as he builds towards the Vuelta a España.

Three-time Tour de Suisse winner Rui Costa will also be part of the UAE Team Emirates squad in the nine-day Swiss race, together with Gent-Wevelgem winner Alexander Kristoff.

Fernando Gaviria will not be present in Switzerland. La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the Colombian is still receiving treatment for the knee injury that forced him out of the Giro d’Italia on stage 7.